Berri Says Freedom May Be Hours Away

June 28, 1985|By United Press International

BEIRUT — Shiite Moslem leader Nabih Berri said Thursday 39 American hostages could be freed ''in 72 hours'' and disclosed he would discuss with the hijackers of a TWA jetliner an offer by Switzerland to take custody of the captives.

Israeli television reported the United States and Israel have agreed not to free the more than 700 Arabs held by Israel until all the Americans, including the seven abducted before the TWA hijacking, are released.

The report gave no more details. In Washington, where the White House has imposed a news blackout, the State Department refused to comment on the report.

Berri told CBS News in a telephone interview from Beirut he was not optimistic about the hijackers' reponse to the Swiss proposal, which called for moving the hostages out of Lebanon, possibly to Geneva.

But he said he remained positive the hostage crisis that began with the June 14 hijacking of TWA Flight 847 between Athens to Rome could ''end well in the next two to three days.''

Berri, who is negotiating on behalf of the Moslem militants who took over the airliner, said he would take the Swiss offer to the hijackers today and added that talks with France on accepting the Americans had ended.

He also warned President Reagan not to make any new threats to blockade Lebanon as he did Tuesday because they would not help resolve the situation.

Berri said in another interview that he knew Reagan was in contact with President Hafez Assad of Syria, the main backer of Berri's Shiite Moslem militia Amal.

Berri's comments came a day after he proposed a plan to end the crisis, offering to transfer the 39 American captives to the Swiss, French or Austrian embassies in Beirut or to Syria or Iran in exchange for a pledge they would be held until the Arab prisoners are released by Israel.

The Shiite militants who hijacked the jetliner have made the release of those prisoners their main demand for the return of the hostages.

In Bern, Switzerland, an official spokesman said the government could not accept the conditions of Berri's original plan but did not reject his idea outright.

''Switzerland is ready to receive the hostages in its embassy in Beirut but without any conditions and with the assurance to be able to transfer them freely to Switzerland or elsewhere and to liberate them,'' said Foreign Ministry spokesman Stefan Nellan.

Earlier in the day, Berri told NBC News he believed the crisis could be resolved quickly.

''I think in 72 hours it will be the exit for this affair, for the Americans held,'' said Berri, who is also Lebanon's justice minister.

Secretary of State George Shultz, however, added a new dimension to the standoff Wednesday, saying that in addition to the TWA hostages the administration also wants the return of the seven Americans kidnapped by Moslem militants in Lebanon before the hijacking.

There was no immediate reaction from Berri to Shultz's demand. French and British officials declined comment on whether they also wanted the release of four Frenchmen and one Briton kidnapped in Beirut this year.

''The whole scope of this affair has opened up,'' said a Western diplomatic source in Beirut. ''Western parties see this as a chance to not only get the people from the hijacking back but also all their nationals.''

In Paris a Foreign Ministry spokesman said France was ''ready to accept free people but not hostages'' at its west Beirut mission.

''We will not be substitute jailers. The freedom must be unconditional,'' he said.

Berri later told CBS the discussions with the French were over.

Berri, who has taken responsibility for the hostages, also urged Washington Thursday to repeat its condemnation of Israel for transferring the Arab prisoners from Lebanon across the border in April.

Washington has said Israel violated international law by moving the prisoners taken during its three-year occupation of Lebanon, but has not demanded their repatriation.

Israel, which let go 31 of 764 prisoners Monday, denied a CBS News report it was preparing to free all of them, although diplomatic sources said the release of another group may be imminent.

Three hostages held by Amal were allowed to meet Thursday with ABC News in a restaurant south of Beirut. Allyn Conwell, 39, an oil company executive from Houston, called on Israel to release the prisoners. Ralf Traugott, 32, an automobile salesman from Lunenburg, Mass., expressed support for Berri's proposal. The third hostage was the Rev. James McLoughlin, 45, of Geneva, Ill.